Chapter 38

Lu Siyu walked out while explaining, “The person’s feet have a slight slope, although it doesn’t affect walking, but when standing on the ground, one foot is more stable, and the other foot points outward. If it’s him, the footprints left should be in the shape of the character ‘八,’ not inward.”

“Also, the mud on his feet is different, there’s yellow pollen on his body, and a faint fragrance. If I’m not mistaken, he has come into contact with a flower called ‘evening primrose.’ This flower, as the name implies, only blooms after 8 p.m. and withers before morning. His pant cuffs and shoe soles have pollen from this flower, indicating he must have stayed in a place with a large number of these flowers.”

“After last night’s rain, the rainwater on the pant cuffs and shoe soles mixed with the pollen. We walked around this small village, and these flowers only appear on the hill outside the resort in the village.”

“Today, we passed by that flower field, and I saw multiple mineral water bottles, cigarette butts, and some scattered footprints. Late at night, so many people hiding in the wild, most likely engaged in illegal gambling. Wang Yu didn’t dare to elaborate, probably afraid that Officer Zhang would target their group.”

Fang Ye Hu is a term for illicit gambling in rural areas, usually in remote locations, quick and decisive, involving large amounts of money. It has always been the target of police crackdowns.

I don’t know how to translate this (放野糊) so I just left it in pinyin

“Now, these villagers are also afraid of being investigated. They won’t carry large amounts of cash; everyone is using online transactions. So, when he said he wanted to check Wang Yu’s phone, Wang Yu became nervous.”

These deductions may seem mysterious, but they are based on small details. Song Wen sorted it out and couldn’t help but exclaim, “Your nose is really keen. I just thought that the man smelled good, couldn’t figure out what it was.”

Lu Siyu continued, “Also, what he said makes some sense. If an electrician wanted to kill someone using electricity, it would be too obvious. This person is physically strong, killing for wealth. Zhou Chuguo is the one who suffered a beating; the land issue hasn’t been settled, no need to kill the entire family at this point. The most important point, I think if he took the job last night and electrocuted this family, he wouldn’t have slept until after nine in the morning.” He paused, took a breath, and said, “Getting to this point, I’ve figured something out.”

“What is it?” Song Wen followed behind Lu Siyu, “Hey, walk a bit slower. Where are we going?”

Just now, Lu Siyu suddenly stood up, gesturing for him to follow without specifying where to go. Lu Siyu turned around and replied with four words, “Go find evidence.”

After saying these words, Lu Siyu continued walking with determination, moving swiftly as if eager to reach a certain destination. Song Wen followed behind, struggling to keep up. Assuming Lu Siyu wanted to revisit the crime scene, Song Wen didn’t ask further.

After walking for a few minutes, they had reached the vicinity of the crime scene. However, Lu Siyu didn’t head in that direction but took another path towards a not-so-high hill they had seen earlier. The hilltop was lush with vegetation, offering a pleasant view.

Song Wen, not in the mood for leisure, was becoming more puzzled, “The case is still unclear, why are you climbing this hill?” Before waiting for Lu Siyu’s response, he caught up after a few steps, “Aren’t we waiting for Zhang Dahai’s information?”

Lu Siyu, slightly out of breath, replied, “Zhang Dahai is unreliable; waiting for his information could take forever. Besides, Wang Yu is right. What we lack is direct evidence. Otherwise, even if we encounter the real suspect, it’s challenging to convict them.”

In current investigations, emphasis is on a complete chain of evidence. The case was stuck because direct evidence was scarce—no eyewitnesses, no physical evidence, no fingerprints, only a blurry footprint. This situation was passive; even if they found a suspect, breaking through would be difficult if the person denied involvement.

As they ascended the hill, the path became steeper. Lu Siyu climbed in silence until they were close to the summit, then finally responded to Song Wen, “I’m just speculating, not necessarily accurate. I’ve been trying to understand the killer’s psychology. This killer didn’t commit the murder impulsively but planned it. Imagine if you were planning a murder with what you believed to be a perfect plan, would you lie in bed at home, waiting for the plan to unfold?”

Song Wen thought for a moment and shook his head, “No! I’d probably start packing and preparing to escape…”

Lu Siyu rubbed his forehead, “People like you indeed can’t kill. This killer wants to wipe out an entire family; there must be deep-seated hatred between them. The killer would feel anxiety and unrest, but more importantly, anticipation! Excitement! They must witness the final moments, watch those people die to satisfy their deep-seated resentment and derive the greatest pleasure.”

It’s like a play reaching its climax, setting off fireworks and igniting the signal, or an exam reaching the announcement of results. Without this final step, all previous efforts would be in vain.

Suddenly, Song Wen realized, “So, are we going to…”

Lu Siyu took three steps and reached a platform on the mountaintop. The hill wasn’t large, perhaps a few dozen meters higher than the ground below. From this height, the difference in wind and scenery between the mountain and the valley was noticeable. Lu Siyu’s chest heaved, eyes scanning the surroundings. He quickly identified an open space, walked over, and crouched down.

Following Lu Siyu, Song Wen looked down from this vantage point. The courtyard of Zhou Chuguo’s home was visible, with every detail easily discernible. Lu Siyu whispered, “Yes, this is it, the best observation point.”

Possibly well-trodden, the platform had no vegetation, only soil. Song Wen lowered his head and indeed found several clear footprints on the ground, with patterns identical to those accidentally destroyed by Zhang Dahai at Zhou Chuguo’s doorstep. Underneath the footprints, there were traces of reddish-brown soil, matching the color of the ground at Zhou Chuguo’s doorstep.

Lu Siyu took out his phone and took several photos.

Song Wen squatted down, took out the evidence bag he carried with him, and carefully picked up a cigarette butt from the grass, observing, “It rained yesterday, but this cigarette butt is dry, likely left by the killer in the morning.” Next to the cigarette ash, there was a cluster of closely packed footprints on the ground.

When the killer was at Zhou’s doorstep, they remained cautious, leaving few traces. However, upon reaching this location, they completely relaxed, leaving behind numerous pieces of evidence.

The cigarette butt could be tested for the killer’s DNA, and they now had complete and clear footprints. With this evidence, the killer could be nailed.

Lu Siyu stood up and looked down, “After he connected the wire last night, he didn’t sleep all night. Before dawn, he climbed up this hill, stood here, and watched those people die. This cruel method of murder is probably a ‘masterpiece’ in his mind.”

From the cigarette butt and footprints, it was evident that the killer had anxiously waited here. This morning, as dawn broke, they stood here, smoking and pacing back and forth, anticipating the tragic event that excited them.

Song Wen turned to look at Lu Siyu. If it were an ordinary person, they wouldn’t think that the killer was standing on a nearby hill, witnessing everything. Even if they were to expand the search area, they would at most search the vicinity, not come up to this nearby hill.

Lu Siyu, having just finished exercising, had a flushed complexion. There was a trace of satisfaction in the corners of his eyes and brows, confirming his own thoughts. The wind lifted his hair at the forehead, revealing a snowy-white forehead. When analyzing the case, Lu Siyu didn’t appear as cold and aloof as usual; he looked exceptionally bright. However, this also made Song Wen feel a bit unfamiliar. Lu Siyu’s tone seemed as if committing murder was an intoxicating act, an art that no one could understand. He could sympathize with the killer and understand those feelings.

Standing beside Lu Siyu, with the cold wind blowing, Song Wen had a momentary illusion. Lu Siyu didn’t seem like a detective but more like a twisted killer who would annihilate entire families. Yet, he was so intelligent, sharp, and attractive.

Song Wen enjoyed solving cases; catching the bad guys gave him a sense of accomplishment. Initially, he just wanted to earn respect from the city, but later, he found himself genuinely enjoying the process. Even in the darkness, he wanted to pursue justice.

Lu Siyu was different. If every murder case were a game of chess, he was reviewing the game, unraveling it, and gaining immense pleasure from it.

Both were solving cases, one on the side of justice, the other seemingly on the side of evil. Their goals were the same, but their starting points were entirely different. If they could maintain a balance, they could complement each other well.

But if this balance were to be disrupted…

Facing the mountain wind, standing on the small slope, Song Wen couldn’t help but feel a bit lost in thought. If the person in front of him was a murderer, could he catch him?

After saying those words, Lu Siyu suddenly felt a dull pain surging in his body. He was compelled to cough twice, crouching down and pressing the painful area. Since climbing the mountain, there had been a slight spasm in his stomach. He hadn’t paid much attention to it, but now, as he stopped, he felt like a hand was crumpling his soft organs like a piece of waste paper.

Seeing his face turn pale, Song Wen immediately crouched down and anxiously asked, “What’s wrong?”

Lu Siyu steadied himself, thinking that it might be due to overindulging at lunch with some spicy pork. It probably triggered a recurrence of his stomach problem. Not wanting to worry Song Wen, he replied, “Probably climbed up too quickly just now, got a bit out of breath…”

Worriedly, Song Wen said, “Why were you in such a hurry just now? I kept telling you to slow down.”

The discomfort intensified, and Lu Siyu broke into a cold sweat on his forehead. His long fingers tightly gripped his clothes, pressing hard against his stomach as if trying to penetrate into his body. He felt like a knife was twisting inside him, as if the organs in his body were cramping. Gritting his teeth, he said, “Let me rest for a while, and it’ll be fine…” His voice trembled, sounding far from reassuring.

Looking at Lu Siyu, Song Wen noticed the change in his complexion within a short period. His lips turned paler, and cold sweat appeared on his forehead, making his handsome face even paler. Concerned, Song Wen held Lu Siyu and suggested, “Don’t force yourself; shall I carry you down?”

Lu Siyu shook his head with closed eyes.

Helpless, Song Wen couldn’t do much. He wanted to help Lu Siyu up, but Lu Siyu’s body remained curled up, eyes tightly closed, and his eyelashes trembled. After a moment, he hoarsely uttered, “Don’t touch me.” The sentence even carried a hint of a crying tone, startling Song Wen into not daring to move him.

In Lu Siyu’s clear mind, he knew what was happening. In the afternoon, while waiting for Song Wen to come out, he discreetly took a painkiller. Judging by the time, it should start taking effect soon, and with a bit of luck, enduring it for a while would be enough.

Song Wen wanted to say something, but Lu Siyu slowly caught his breath, turned his head, and said, “Your phone is ringing…”

TN:

Looks like we have a “voyeur criminal” in our hands.